Almost to deco... your first time?

[Bretagus]

So I'm just about there... I'm getting a dry suit... going to start getting the hang of doubles... and once I've got dive #100, I'll start shopping for a tech instructor (of whom, I've been trained by one and know another at the LDS). I might not make it into a class this season (wait a second... I'll have a dry suit... to heck with the season!), but still...

Two years ago, I picked up Shadow Divers. At that point, I had barely 25 dives (but a PADI AOW), had never heard of a backplate, and thought I was ready to start diving u-boats. Hell, I had been diving to 115ft, what was the big deal? Then I took my rescue class (from a TDI instructor)... and I realized I was thankful I was still alive! I had been to 115ft??? Suddenly, "plan your dive, dive your plan" started to ring true. So I took two seasons to improve all aspects of my diving (buoyancy and breathing were pretty natural for me, but navigation was tricky... buoyancy AND breathing AND navigation AND untangling a dive flag from a lobster line was even trickier). So now, I'm entering my third season of being a diver (albeit, my 6th year of being certified).

Tech appeals to me because, of the few tech divers I've been with, they all had a plan. Even if you're doing a rec dive on the Poling, you're prepared with a backup deco plan should things go sour. Plus, who wants to spend "just" 20 minutes down there, anyway!?

I've started to talk to a few of you on various threads... but what was your "almost to tech" experience like?

[Rick Inman]

I'm not sure what you mean by, "almost to tech", but I guess mine would be during my tech training. I had always thought I understood the idea of dealing with your problems underwater, but once there was an overhead (virtual, via deco obligation) the practice of handling issues that came up during training underwater was a big dose of tech reality for me. My instructor loved to throw drills at me while at depth, where escaping to the surface was NOT an option. And that changes everything. You can be scared and sick and stressed and out of gas and cramping up and lost and a host of other things, but you can not solve your problems by surfacing. And just the fact of solving the problem usually means being required and prepared to alter the plan on the fly so you can safely exit.

I thought this would freak me out. But, surprisingly, during my transition into tech I found myself both comfortable and excited by the new challenges. Fortunately, I had an instructor who was on the ball enough to keep moving me forward with my depth, skills and training, without moving me too fast into zones that I was not comfortable with or prepared for.

[TSandM]

If I'm intuiting your definition correctly, I'm still in "almost to tech". I've got the gear, I've done the basic class (Fundies, tech pass) and the "techreational" class in two versions (GUE Rec Triox and NAUI Helitrox). I've been hazed by instructors at anything from 10 fsw to 80 or so, done ascents with gas sharing and post failures and had my mask yanked off my face in midwater so many times I can't count them.

As Rick says, the key is that you HAVE to be able to cope, with almost anything and in wicked and stressful combinations, because you no longer have the option to quit. And a good instructor will make you WANT to quit, believe me!

If I have one piece of advice from my experiences, it's to spend a lot of time in midwater. Buoyancy needs to be second nature and pretty imperturbable. You can practice air-sharing and valve drills in midwater (and even better, midwater at NIGHT) until they're just plain easy. Then coping with failures and team management won't be quite so stressful.

[Meng_Tze]

I also do not exactly understand what 'almost to tech would mean'. But what I did learn and see as one of the pillars of Tech diving is the attitude of combining challenges with measured planning. This planning incorporates emergencies and contingencies. Witch experience comes the ability to think 'on your fins' and not panic. One of my latest training experiences was when I was having an issue under water and my instructor merely 'watched me'. (I know she was ready to help, but didn't offer any). I had to solve the issue myself. Having enough redundancy a solution was found and did save the day/dive. The more you get into tech diving, the more important self reliance becomes. This does not per se mean 'solo', but merely that you HAVE to be able to fix issues yourself.

[dumpsterDiver]

It sounds like the OP is asking what level of expereince did people accrue before starting their formal tech training?? I never had any tech training, but his profile says less than 100 dives, which does not sound like that many dives to me. I would think you should be pretty comfortable with the dry suit and doubles before starting tech training in cold water.

[do it easy]

I finished advanced trimix and I'm still learning. I really don't think there is a line in the silt that defines tech, as opposed to recreational. I think it's an open, positive attitude and a willingness to learn. The path to technical diving starts with a single tank and is paved with experience (and money).

[DA Aquamaster]

I've been hazed by instructors at anything from 10 fsw to 80 or so, done ascents with gas sharing and post failures and had my mask yanked off my face in midwater so many times I can't count them.

Yes. After 23 years of diving in a wide varity of conditons including low viz, no viz, in and around steel cables and structures, in currents up to 7 kts, turbulent water below hydro electric dams, caves, wrecks and with the occassional panicked recreational student (and on one occassion a panicked SWAT team member of the PSD team), I have NEVER lost my mask to anything other than an instructor yanking it off. I did flood it once or twice though.

I often marvel at the perceived value of the extent of hazing such as mask removal when it has no real connection to the conditions that divers face in the real world. If a diver can function with their mask and more importantly under stress, enough already. Training is fine but "hazing" really has no place other than perhaps to establish some sort of macho pecking order and I'd rather not convey the impression that all tech instructors operate that way.

[irishsquid]

I finished advanced trimix and I'm still learning. I really don't think there is a line in the silt that defines tech, as opposed to recreational. I think it's an open, positive attitude and a willingness to learn. The path to technical diving starts with a single tank and is paved with experience (and money).

I'm still OW, planning for my AOW this spring/summer. Easy; I like your quote:
"I think it's an open, positive attitude and a willingness to learn. The path to technical diving starts with a single tank and is paved with experience (and money)." That's how I see my entire dive /history/future evolving.

[ianr33]

and had my mask yanked off my face in midwater so many times I can't count them.

Does GUE actually do this?

With TDI your mask is "requested" rather than "taken"

Just curious.

[texdiveguy]

Heck, technical diving is just recreational diving with more gear!

I know for me I will be in the 'learning curve' for a longtime to come.

I hope the OP does not try and rush things as this is when folks get burned out and quite diving....good for us cause we can pick up nice dive gear cheap...bad for them cause they are missing out on what can be an adventure.